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Thursday, 16 July 2009

Exacerbation and Enjoyment

During a 5 hour train ride from Switzerland to Germany I had written a nice informative post about the last 2 weeks. I proofread it. I saved it. And here I find the computer has eaten it. I just hate it when that happens.

We are in Frankfurt, Germany at Javonne's house. For those who dont know, Javonne is my cousin (from my Momma's side). I have always loved her, always been glad to see and talk with her. But there is no way to describe how wonderful it has been to spend the last couple of days here with her. Her apartment feels like home; the decorations so resemble my own momma's, and the beds are so soft, and the bathroom so clean, and the kitchen so stocked, and the Bernina Sewing machine set up on a plastic folding table with a green cutting mat right beside it.

But my favorite part has been the time actually spent with Javonne. Tonight a Bible Study met in her home (it ended up just being one other women) but it was so lovely to have a time focused on the Lord, in english.

Anywho, So sorry I dont have any pictures for you now. But I have this plan to post my favorites when I get home. In the meantime Deb posted a bunch of pictures on her Facebook site.

love to all, and we are about 2/3rds done. Hoorah!

Wednesday, 01 July 2009

Answered Prayers

I am feeling the need to tell about some of the ways God has taken care of us during this trip. We have prayed and prayed, and He has heard us every time. I am amazed at His care and attention to requests big and small. He has provided us with places to stay at last minute, food to eat, making connections, people to help us home, and so much fun and laughter. He has made cameras work, and computers get online. And He has shown me beauty, majesty, history, and glimpses of Him in my world.

He has given us many undeserved reasons to smile. One such occasion was a day we were playing catch-up after getting stuck an unplanned night in Andorra. We had hoped to see the Chateau d' if (a famous prison mentioned in the book The Count of Monte Cristo), but time was running short. We had a fifteen minute window to catch the ferry, and only an hour and a half for the whole deal: ferry, see the prison, and be back to catch our train out. We truly didnt think it was possible, and were quite disapointed. But everything DID work out... the ferry left about fifteen minutes late, there were tickets available, the ride was beautiful, and we jogged uphill and onto our train with five minutes to spare.

I have so many instances like that, but im so tired and words arent coming. So, I leave you with a few pictures. They are a bit old, but some of my favorites:
Moroccan Food- Lamb Tagine

The ferry to the Chateua d'if

The leaning tower of Pisa

Evening in Florence, Italy

The way our feel look every night...

Life is so beautiful...and I am so thankful to be here.
Much love to all at home. I miss you.

Saturday, 20 June 2009

Well. I am having trouble getting my pictures to upload... as in I am NOT getting my pictures to upload.
Anyways.
Today we are in Florence, Italy, and it is BEAUTiful. We climbed a huge church (400 and some steps) and looked out over the city. You could see the the red roofs stretching out for ages and then meeting with the mountains. We then went to the Acadamia (SP?) museum and saw Michelangelos David. To get there you had to walk down a hallway that had 4 or so of his unfinished works. They are called the prisoners and truly look that way, as if they just needed to be freed from their marble prison. They were so neat, and I didnt think there was any way that David could live up to the hype.

He was even better. I stood there at the base of this 17 ft high, nude statue that had been carved from a piece of miscut marbel and I was blown away. The veins in his arms and legs looked so real, and the expanse of chest was so perfect that it could have heaved with breath and it would have seemed right. I really couldnt do more than just stare for quite a while. When we finally moved on towards the exit we had to go through a room of other sculptures and plaster molds and I understood why Michelangelo is considered a master. The rest were beautiful- but they certainly didnt seem alive.
So much love to you all... and I really do miss home, silly though that may seem.
Especially tonight as I wish to go to church in the morning... at MY church, with people whom I love, and in a language I understand, and where I believe the same doctrine. Jesus is so good, and I love Him so.

goodnight!

Thursday, 18 June 2009

Moroccan Men

Just a quick story:

During our day in the Moroccan quarter in Granada we did some shopping. I was looking for a few little things and went in to several shops. It was perfect... I was able to speak enough Arabic to communicate with each one and left before my language ran out. In the last shop while I bought a pair of these great pantaloons/skirtish thing and a scarf, Deb and Rachel moved on. The guy who rang up my purchase gave me a lower price than was marked (cause I spoke arabic :) and said he wanted to give me a gift. He asked where I wanted it, and I was quite confused. I turned to put something in my bag and when I looked up here he was moving in for a kiss. I was taken completely off gaurd and pointed frantically at my cheek just in the knick of time. See, what he actually said was that he wanted to give me a "Kiss gift"

I just missed the kiss part.

Monday, 15 June 2009

Granada, Spain

Hello from way over here! Its only been a week and I am already running out of adjectives to describe the wonderful things that I'm seeing. Today we saw the Alhambra. It was built by the Moors and has the most incredible architecture- beautiful keyhole arches, geometric engravings and etchings from the Koran, inlaid wooden ceilings, and beautiful gardens filled with flowers and fountains and boxwoods trimmed into lovely shapes. It is actually the place where Christopher Columbus petitioned Ferdinand and Isabella to sail to the Americas. I LOVED it!

The other thing that is making me crazy happy is that Granada is known as "the closest you can get to Morocco without actually being there." Tonight we are going to get Malowie, which is practically my favorite food and I don't know how to describe it to anyone at home. Its sorta like a pita or a tortilla but with layers and its fried and eaten with honey. MMMmmmm. We are going to a mountain that looks over the city and then going to walk down through the Moroccan section of town and do some shopping or sight seeing. Then tomorrow we are going to out for a full blown moroccan meal. You can guess how happy that makes me :)

Anyways... as I have already said, I am having the time of my life. And yet, I still miss you guys like crazy. Consider yourself hugged and helloed, and know that even as I soke up the culture, I am wishing for home.

So much love,
holly.